Rapid City sits at the edge of the Black Hills, and the corridor around Rushmore Mall on Eglin Street puts you within striking distance of several golf courses - including Meadowbrook Golf Course, just minutes away - while keeping you close to the region's main retail and dining hub. This guide compares 8 golf-friendly hotels near Rushmore Mall, breaking down proximity, facilities, and practical booking strategy so you can make a direct decision without second-guessing your base.
What It's Like Staying Near Rushmore Mall
The area surrounding Rushmore Mall sits on the east side of Rapid City along North Lacrosse Street and Eglin Street - a commercially dense zone with fast-food chains, big-box retailers, and mid-scale hotel clusters rather than a walkable urban core. Most hotels here are within a 5-minute drive of Meadowbrook Golf Course, one of the most-played public courses in South Dakota, which makes this corridor genuinely functional for golf-focused stays. Traffic along North LaCrosse Street picks up notably during weekend afternoons, especially in summer when Mount Rushmore tourism peaks, but the area quiets significantly by evening compared to downtown.
Why Choose Golf Hotels Near Rushmore Mall
Golf hotels in the Rushmore Mall corridor offer a practical combination that downtown Rapid City properties rarely match: free parking, ground-floor room access, and in-room amenities like kitchenettes and refrigerators that suit multi-night golf itineraries where you need to store food and dry gear. Rates here run around 20% lower than comparable downtown Rapid City hotels during peak summer weeks, which adds up quickly on a 4- or 5-night golf trip. Room sizes in extended-stay and suite-style properties along this stretch tend to run larger than downtown equivalents, giving you space to store clubs, bags, and gear without the room feeling crowded.
Practical Booking & Area Strategy
For the closest access to Meadowbrook Golf Course, hotels positioned along North Eglin Street or North LaCrosse Street place you within a 5-minute drive of the first tee - a meaningful advantage when you have a 7 a.m. tee time. Rushmore Mall itself sits at 2200 North Maple Avenue, and properties within 1.5 km of that address benefit from easy access to Panera Bread, Texas Roadhouse, and a full grocery option at the adjacent Walmart for stocking a kitchenette. The Journey Museum, Dinosaur Park, and the Bear Country USA wildlife park are all within a 15-minute drive, giving non-golfing travel companions legitimate day options. Book at least 6 weeks ahead if your dates fall between late June and mid-August - this is when Black Hills tourism and golf demand overlap at their highest, and rates at this zone's most-reviewed properties climb steeply with less notice.
Best Value Golf Stays
These properties offer the strongest combination of price, in-room practicality, and proximity to Rushmore Mall and the surrounding golf corridor - suited to golfers prioritizing cost efficiency without sacrificing key amenities like breakfast or a hot tub.
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1. My Place Hotel Rapid City
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Just a few rooms left at the best rate!
fromUS$ 53
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2. Sleep Inn & Suites Rapid City
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Just a few rooms left at the best rate!
fromUS$ 64
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3. Country Inn & Suites By Radisson, Rapid City, Sd
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Just a few rooms left at the best rate!
fromUS$ 48
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4. Fairfield Inn & Suites Rapid City
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Hurry – almost gone at this price!
fromUS$ 50
Best Premium Golf Stays
These properties step up in terms of facilities, brand positioning, or location advantages - suited to golfers who want more from their base than a functional room, whether that means a full-service restaurant, airport transfers, or a water park for accompanying family members.
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1. Staybridge Suites Rapid City - Rushmore By Ihg
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Hurry – almost gone at this price!
fromUS$ 180
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2. Home2 Suites By Hilton Rapid City
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Hurry – almost gone at this price!
fromUS$ 246
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7. The Rushmore Hotel & Suites; BW Premier Collection
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Rooms filling fast – secure the best rate!
fromUS$ 149
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4. Grand Gateway Hotel
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Rooms filling fast – secure the best rate!
fromUS$ 50
Smart Timing and Booking Advice for Golf Near Rushmore Mall
Golf season in Rapid City runs from late April through October, with Meadowbrook Golf Course and the surrounding Black Hills courses drawing their heaviest play from late June through August. Book at least 6 weeks ahead for any July or August stay - this is when Mount Rushmore tourism, Sturgis Motorcycle Rally proximity, and regional golf demand converge, and hotels in the Rushmore Mall corridor see occupancy rates climb toward full capacity. Shoulder season - specifically May and September - offers the best combination of open tee times, lower hotel rates, and manageable traffic on North LaCrosse Street. September mornings in the Black Hills are particularly well-suited to golf, with cooler temperatures and significantly fewer visitors than peak summer. For a pure golf trip without the added expense of peak-season pricing, a 4-night stay arriving Sunday and departing Thursday avoids weekend rate premiums at most properties in this zone. Last-minute bookings in July and August are high-risk - rooms at the properties closest to Rushmore Mall sell out well before the check-in date during Sturgis Rally week in early August.
